of the Fishery Board for Scotland. 199 
stomachs were small, even when the angler was large. ‘The codlings 
ranged from nine to twenty-three inches ; the whitings were mostly small, 
from four inches upwards, but occasionally measuring ten, eleven, twelve, 
and fourteen inches. The haddocks, on the other hand, were mostly 
medium-sized, ranging from six-and-a-half to fifteen-and-a-half inches, 
but generally measuring from ten to fourteen inches. Whether this 
difference indicates a difference in the habit, or habitat, of the young 
haddock is not clear. Possibly the whiting, which is predaceous, darts 
about in pursuit of other fishes and thus comes within reach of the angler 
more often than the leisurely-feeding haddock. ‘he flat-fishes were also, 
as arule, small, the common dabs measuring from three-and-a-half to 
six-and-a-half inches, and the long rough dabs between four and five 
inches. In no case were large flat-fishes obtained in the stomachs. Small 
plaice were got in two only—viz., two in July in one caught in the Moray 
Firth, and six, along with three flounders, also in July in Aberdeen Bay. 
The witch from the deep-sea grounds measured ten inches. The rarity of 
the large fishes in the stomach of the angler probably points to their greater 
caution than when younger. Experience no doubt teaches them more 
readily to detect and to avoid the formidable lurking trap which forms 
part of their natural environment. 
The only other organisms besides fish which were found in the 
stomachs were a shore-crab in one and a swimming-crab in another, and 
cephalopods in thirteen. The latter, having the habit of crawling about 
the bottom, appear to constitute a fair proportion of the angler’s food in 
autumn. In al! cases but one the cepalopods were squids; the other 
was anu Eledone. The body of the cephalopod is digested much more 
rapidly than the head and tentacles. 
In the stomachs of 102 anglers taken by the ‘‘Garland” in the Forth 
some years ago, fifty-one contained food and fifty-one were empty. 
Whitings were got in six, sand-eels in four, herring in three, haddock in 
three, cod in one, rockling in one, Zwmpenus in one, skate in two, plaice 
in one, long rough dab in one, and lemon dab in one, while cephalopods 
were found in two and crustacea (Hupagurus, Nephrops) in three.* 
During the Irish Survey Holt found seven stomachs of anglers con- 
taining food, the identified forms being sprats, common dab, witch, and 
sole. 
* Seventh—Tenth Annual Reports, Part 111. 
+ Report to Council, Roy. Dub. Soc., 1891, p. 311. 
| TABLES. 
